[AGL] Flash: Mexico shows signs of sense

[Wayne Johnson]

There will be no "sensible" laws so long as our dearly elected 
representatives continue to whore-out to the right-wing Christians and the 
Mob.

wgJ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Harry Edwards" <laughingwolf at ev1.net>
To: "survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s" 
<austin-ghetto-list at pairlist.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 7:16 PM
Subject: Re: [AGL] Flash: Mexico shows signs of sense


> wait. an oz. is 28 grams. lessee, it'd be a little less than a quarter 
> oz., a small lid basically. not that i have any direct knowledge of said 
> substance.         twisty d
>
> On Apr 29, 2006, at 2:14 PM, Gerry wrote:
>
>> Do you know how much 5 grams of pot is? A thimble full. Certainly not the 
>> big deal you envision. The fine print says that the judge can make the 
>> decision on whether to prosecute or not for possession. That's the most 
>> sensible part and the kind of law we need to restore in the US.
>> G
>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Frances Morey
>>> To: survivors' reminiscences about Austin Ghetto Daze in the 60s
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 10:18 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [AGL] Flash: Mexico shows signs of sense
>>>
>>> Good God! Harry,
>>> I hope this isn't just some other kind of news legend the mainstream 
>>> media is ignoring! That fence they'er puttin' up is gonna have to serve 
>>> for keeping Americans from trying to wade through the Rio Grande to get 
>>> there!
>>> FM
>>>
>>> Harry Edwards <laughingwolf at ev1.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Mexico to decriminalize pot, cocaine and heroin
>>>> By Noel Randewich
>>>> Fri Apr 28, 6:51 PM ET
>>>>
>>>> Possessing marijuana, cocaine and even heroin will no longer be a crime
>>>> in Mexico if the drugs are carried in small amounts for personal use,
>>>> under legislation passed by Congress.
>>>>
>>>> The measure given final passage by senators in a late night session on
>>>> Thursday allows police to focus on their battle against major drug
>>>> dealers, the government says, and President Vicente Fox is expected to
>>>> sign it into law.
>>>>
>>>> "This law provides more judicial tools for authorities to fight crime,"
>>>> presidential spokesman Ruben Aguilar said on Friday. The measure was
>>>> approved earlier by the lower house.
>>>>
>>>> Under the legislation, police will not penalize people for possessing
>>>> up to 5 grams of marijuana, 5 grams of opium, 25 milligrams of heroin
>>>> or 500 milligrams of cocaine.
>>>>
>>>> People caught with larger quantities of drugs will be treated as
>>>> narcotics dealers and face increased jail terms under the plan.
>>>>
>>>> The legal changes will also decriminalize the possession of limited
>>>> quantities of other drugs, including LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms,
>>>> amphetamines and peyote -- a psychotropic cactus found in Mexico's
>>>> northern deserts.
>>>>
>>>> The legislation came as a surprise to Washington, which counts on
>>>> Mexico's support in its war against drug smuggling gangs who move
>>>> massive quantities of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines
>>>> through Mexico to U.S. consumers.
>>>>
>>>> A delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives visited Mexico last
>>>> week and met with senior officials to discuss drug control issues, but
>>>> was told nothing of the planned legislative changes, said Michelle
>>>> Gress, a House subcommittee counsel who was part of the visiting team.
>>>>
>>>> "We were not informed," she told Reuters.
>>>>
>>>> HARDENED CRIMINALS
>>>>
>>>> Hundreds of people, including many police officers, have been killed in
>>>> Mexico in the past year as drug cartels battle for control of lucrative
>>>> smuggling routes into the United States.
>>>>
>>>> The violence has raged mostly in northern Mexico but in recent months
>>>> has spread south to cities like vacation resort Acapulco.
>>>>
>>>> Under current law, it is up to local judges and police to decide on a
>>>> case-by-case basis whether people should be prosecuted for possessing
>>>> small quantities of drugs, a source at the Senate's health commission
>>>> told Reuters.
>>>>
>>>> "The object of this law is to not put consumers in jail, but rather
>>>> those who sell and poison," said Sen. Jorge Zermeno of the ruling
>>>> National Action Party.
>>>>
>>>> Fifty-three senators voted for the bill with 26 votes against.
>>>>
>>>> Hector Michel Camarena, an opposition senator from the Institutional
>>>> Revolutionary Party, warned that although well intentioned, the law may
>>>> go too far.
>>>>
>>>> "There are serious questions we have to carefully analyze so that
>>>> through our spirit of fighting drug dealing, we don't end up
>>>> legalizing," he said. "We have to get rid of the concept of the (drug)
>>>> consumer."
>
>